Child Endangerment

A 47-year-old Reseda woman was arrested Wednesday after allegedly driving under the influence with a 9-year-old girl in the car, police said. A witness called police around 5 p.m. after seeing the woman, identified as Marianna Cregar, pull into a gas station near Olive Avenue and Buena Vista Street seemingly drunk, said Burbank Police Lt. John Dilibert. Cregar reportedly failed a field sobriety test, and was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and driving under the influence, Dilibert said.

A woman reportedly died in a house fire in Burbank Saturday night and her son and daughter-in-law were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Burbank firefighters battled the blaze at 910 Evergreen St, where the house was fully engulfed. An Animal Control officer were reportedly called for a deceased dog. The cause is under investigation. -- Mark Kellam, mark.kellam@latimes.com Follow on Twitter: @LAMarkKellam . ALSO: [Update]

The 69-year-old woman who died in a house fire in Burbank Saturday night was identified Monday as Irmhild Marcaccio, authorities said. Burbank firefighters battled the blaze at 910 Evergreen St., where the house was fully engulfed. Marcaccio's son and daughter-in-law were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. An animal control officer was reportedly called for a deceased dog. Neighbors told KTLA-TV that residents of the house used candles for light because they had no electricity.

A man was arrested in Burbank this weekend on suspicion of child endangerment after he allegedly led police on a brief chase with his 10-year-old niece in the car. The car chase shut down the southbound Golden State (5) Freeway for 10 minutes early Saturday morning, Burbank police said. The pursuit ended with the arrest of two brothers -- Luis Villalvazo, the driver, and Marcos Villalvazo, the girl's 40-year-old father who was also a passenger, said police Lt. Eddie Ruiz. Police attempted to stop Luis Villalvazo, 32, just after midnight on suspicion that he was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol near Empire Avenue and Buena Vista Street in Burbank, Ruiz said.

Citing potential "distractions" stemming from her arrest on suspicion of cocaine possession and child endangerment, City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy resigned from the City Council Tuesday, ending a more than eight-year run on the dais and setting the stage for a special election to fill her seat. In a letter addressed to City Manager Mary Alvord, Murphy said it was with a heavy heart that she was stepping down from the council. "This is not an easy decision for me personally, however, for the best interests of our city, and my children, it is the right thing to do," she wrote.

The City Council on Tuesday called for a special election to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Councilwoman Stacey Murphy, who faces cocaine possession and child endangerment charges. The election is scheduled to take place on Jan. 24, 2006. Candidates can pick up papers to run starting Monday at the City Clerk's office. Completed paperwork must be returned by Oct. 28. So far, three residents have said they will run in the election: Airport Commissioner and former Mayor Bill Wiggins; optometrist and former Planning Board member David Gordon; and attorney and vice chairman of the Burbank Water and Power Board Vahe Hovanessian.

The City Council was poised to declare Stacey Murphy's council seat vacant Tuesday night, but by deadline had not set in motion a special election to take place early next year. Murphy's resignation Aug. 30 after being charged with one felony count of cocaine possession and one misdemeanor count of child endangerment means the council will operate with only four members until the vacancy is filled by voters. The council is expected to order the special election at its Sept.

Mark R. Madler City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy apologized Tuesday for the distraction to the city caused by her arrest last week on drug and child endangerment charges. In a statement read at Tuesday's council meeting, Murphy said she would be absent from the meetings until her Aug. 25 initial court appearance but did intend to fulfill the job she was elected to do. "I plan on continuing throughout my entire term," Murphy said in the statement.

o7Here are a few of the issues the council will consider Tuesday night. f7 VACANT COUNCIL SEAT The City Council will declare the seat formerly held by Stacey Murphy to be vacant. Murphy submitted her resignation on Aug. 30 explaining that she didn't want her criminal case to be a distraction to the council while it does city business. Murphy was charged last month with possession of cocaine and child endangerment. WHAT TO EXPECT The council will declare the seat vacant and on Sept.

Ex-councilwoman pleads guilty to cocaine possession and child endangerment charges.PASADENA -- Former Burbank City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy pleaded guilty Thursday to felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor child endangerment charges, avoiding a prison term in exchange for agreeing to enter a drug counseling program. If the 47-year-old Murphy completes a drug diversion program and parenting classes, she can petition the court to have the convictions stemming from her July 13 arrest dismissed.

The 69-year-old woman who died in a house fire in Burbank Saturday night was identified Monday as Irmhild Marcaccio, authorities said. Burbank firefighters battled the blaze at 910 Evergreen St., where the house was fully engulfed. Marcaccio's son and daughter-in-law were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. An animal control officer was reportedly called for a deceased dog. Neighbors told KTLA-TV that residents of the house used candles for light because they had no electricity.

A woman reportedly died in a house fire in Burbank Saturday night and her son and daughter-in-law were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Burbank firefighters battled the blaze at 910 Evergreen St, where the house was fully engulfed. An Animal Control officer were reportedly called for a deceased dog. The cause is under investigation. -- Mark Kellam, mark.kellam@latimes.com Follow on Twitter: @LAMarkKellam . ALSO: [Update]

A 47-year-old Reseda woman was arrested Wednesday after allegedly driving under the influence with a 9-year-old girl in the car, police said. A witness called police around 5 p.m. after seeing the woman, identified as Marianna Cregar, pull into a gas station near Olive Avenue and Buena Vista Street seemingly drunk, said Burbank Police Lt. John Dilibert. Cregar reportedly failed a field sobriety test, and was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and driving under the influence, Dilibert said.

A man was arrested in Burbank this weekend on suspicion of child endangerment after he allegedly led police on a brief chase with his 10-year-old niece in the car. The car chase shut down the southbound Golden State (5) Freeway for 10 minutes early Saturday morning, Burbank police said. The pursuit ended with the arrest of two brothers -- Luis Villalvazo, the driver, and Marcos Villalvazo, the girl's 40-year-old father who was also a passenger, said police Lt. Eddie Ruiz. Police attempted to stop Luis Villalvazo, 32, just after midnight on suspicion that he was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol near Empire Avenue and Buena Vista Street in Burbank, Ruiz said.

OK. We want a nice, clean fight. Nothing below the belt. Keep your hands up. As this year's political competition kicks in to high gear, let's make sure the discourse brings dignity to the city, not disgrace. In a nation where ideology seems to trump pragmatism, we want to remind the candidates running for the school board and the City Council that political infighting and cynicism only bring on more of the same. And in the end, it clouds the issues and the voter pays the price.

Ex-councilwoman pleads guilty to cocaine possession and child endangerment charges.PASADENA -- Former Burbank City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy pleaded guilty Thursday to felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor child endangerment charges, avoiding a prison term in exchange for agreeing to enter a drug counseling program. If the 47-year-old Murphy completes a drug diversion program and parenting classes, she can petition the court to have the convictions stemming from her July 13 arrest dismissed.

Congress has approved a request by Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat who represents Burbank, for $500,000 in federal funding to pay for safety improvements to Metrolink including median separators and locked gates to limit vehicular access to rail tracks including those in Burbank. The request comes on the heels of January's deadly Metrolink crash. The bill also included language from Schiff that requires the Federal Railroad Administration to study safety practices called into question after the derailment of a Metrolink train in Glendale.

The City Council on Tuesday called for a special election to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Councilwoman Stacey Murphy, who faces cocaine possession and child endangerment charges. The election is scheduled to take place on Jan. 24, 2006. Candidates can pick up papers to run starting Monday at the City Clerk's office. Completed paperwork must be returned by Oct. 28. So far, three residents have said they will run in the election: Airport Commissioner and former Mayor Bill Wiggins; optometrist and former Planning Board member David Gordon; and attorney and vice chairman of the Burbank Water and Power Board Vahe Hovanessian.

The City Council was poised to declare Stacey Murphy's council seat vacant Tuesday night, but by deadline had not set in motion a special election to take place early next year. Murphy's resignation Aug. 30 after being charged with one felony count of cocaine possession and one misdemeanor count of child endangerment means the council will operate with only four members until the vacancy is filled by voters. The council is expected to order the special election at its Sept.

o7Here are a few of the issues the council will consider Tuesday night. f7 VACANT COUNCIL SEAT The City Council will declare the seat formerly held by Stacey Murphy to be vacant. Murphy submitted her resignation on Aug. 30 explaining that she didn't want her criminal case to be a distraction to the council while it does city business. Murphy was charged last month with possession of cocaine and child endangerment. WHAT TO EXPECT The council will declare the seat vacant and on Sept.